About Winston-Salem

To perhaps understand and appreciate the Winston-Salem story, it might be easier to liken it to a classic American novel, with each page rich in history with lots of chapters full of intrigue, excitement not to mention it's colorful cast of characters.

And from the first chapter -- written even a decade before the signing of the Declaration of Independence -- to the ones being written today, Winston-Salem is a page-turner.

The community dates back to 1753, when the first Moravians in North Carolina settled on 100,000 acres known as the Wachovia Tract. These German-speaking Protestants established the first colonial town in the Carolina Piedmont in an area known today as Historic Bethabara Park. In 1766, the Moravians established Salem, which means "peace", a congregational town and trading center founded to house professional Moravian craftsmen. Their vision of creating a self-sufficient community made Salem a haven for entrepreneurs. Within a few years, the town included a pottery, tannery, brickyard, flour mill, bakery, slaughterhouse, brewery, iron works and cloth and furniture makers.

Twentieth century businesses, such as R. J. Reynolds Tobacco and the Hanes companies, also shaped Winston-Salem by bringing remarkable wealth to the city and endowing it with an impressive list of institutions and foundations. Their rise to prominence only furthered the spirit of entrepreneurship that has characterized the city since its earliest days, and which remains in evidence today as the city’s economy shifts from manufacturing to finance, medicine and technology.

Winston-Salem has grown to be an area known for its diversity of business and community. With a strong and unwavering commitment to the arts, excellence in healthcare research and technology, and opportunities for specialized and advanced education. Winston-Salem truly is the City of Arts and Innovation.

GENERAL INFORMATION

County: Forsyth

North Carolina state sales tax: 6.75%

Forsyth County occupancy tax: 6%

Population: Metropolitan Winston-Salem/Forsyth County – 358,137

Square Miles: Approximately 130 square miles

Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time

Elevation: 963 feet above sea level

LOCATION
Winston-Salem is conveniently located in the center of the state, also known as the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina, between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.

Surrounding cities:

Greensboro: 32 miles east

Charlotte: 84 miles southwest

Raleigh: 110 miles east

Asheville: 145 miles southwest

Wilmington: 237 miles southeast

TRANSPORTATION

Major Highways: Interstate 40, Business Interstate 40, Interstate 77, Interstate 85 and U.S. Highway 52 (the new I-74/73 corridor)

Airports:

Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), located 20 miles from downtown Winston-Salem

TOURISM/ ATTRACTIONS
Winston-Salem has a wide variety of attractions from historic landmarks and gardens to contemporary art galleries and vineyards to sporting events.

More than 35 wineries, located in the neighboring Yadkin Valley American Viticultural Area

local art galleries/museums

Approximately 250 dining establishments

12 golf courses

75 recreational parks (across Winston-Salem and Forsyth County)

4 historic and/or award-winning gardens

Winston-Salem Dash baseball team

Bowman Gray Racing

CIAA sports (Winston-Salem State University Rams)

ACC sports (Wake Forest University Demon Deacons)

EDUCATION
Winston-Salem is home to some of the finest institutions of higher education in the U.S.

Forsyth Technical Community College

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Piedmont International University

Salem Academy & College

Wake Forest University, including Bowman Gray School of Medicine

Winston-Salem Sate University

WEATHER
Winston-Salem experiences all four seasons.

Average annual rainfall: 42.5 inches

Average of 220 days (60%) of sunshine annually

Average seasonal temperature (degrees Fahrenheit)

Spring: maximum (max) 70, minimum (min) 47

Summer: max 87, min 67

Fall: max 71, min 50

Winter: max 51, min 32

INDUSTRY
In recent years Winston-Salem has moved from a manufacturing-based economy (tobacco/textiles) to an information and technology-based economy especially in the areas of medicine, research and finance.